The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-02-28
ONE OF MoHlsIs,s FEArs.
Ho Makes Record Of Which Anybody Elso
luHN Would be Ashamed. II ,.sl

He Makes Record Of Which Anybody Else
w.aN Would bs Ashamed. Tfi
Special Correspondence o.. the Ia.ellioenctr.
CHARLESTON, W. ", Feb. 28.-Early in
the session OF the Legislature p. W. Nor.
ris introduced in the Senate a Joint reso.
luton providing for an Investigation oil
the letting Of school book contracts in this
State, and the prices paid. He aaid open.
ly that he did not desire the resolution
acted upon; he wanted 1t to lie in commit.
toe till tho session was too near its end to
take any action, and then in
troduce another resolution Of inquiry,
tho object being to gain a
little campaign Thunder" with his name
to it. But the committee co1scientiously
did its duty, and reported gubst;tu,e
providing fora joint com mmittee OF inyesti.
CATION. When this came up, Morris rant.
ed around as lie always does, made pro-
uiiscuous charges and ridiculous asuer-
tionsp Attempting to make party issue of
tho matter, bnt the resolution was voted
Tor by both Democrats and Republican,,
Es.Superintenaeut Butcher and a repre-
sentative OF Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co.
tho school hook publishers, demanding
that the investigation be thorough and
prompt. A committee OF five rs able and
impartiel mon aa could be found in tho
two houses and Morris, was appoin ed,
When i. met, Morris reinzed to sit with It,
aud said he chad no tins" to make good
his charges aud insinuations. Tho com
mlttse made a thorough investigation, and
submitted tho following report on Friday:
To The Senate and House Of Delegates:
Your joint committed appointed under
Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 to inyesti-
kate the mattsr Of letting OF contracts for
the supply OF school books by the former
State Superintendent Of Free Schools, and
to a7ccstsin and report whether or not the
r.tc.3 paid for huch books are excessive or
eN N,rn!Iant bag leave to report as follows:
The committee has inquired into the
matter Of tho letting OF contracts, and
finds thet the Legialature by an act passed
iu 1879, provided for contracts for the
pariod Of five yearo from July !. 1879;
that tho then State Superintendent Of
Free Schools, Dr..W. K. Pendleton, made
and entered into contracts With several
publishers OF the respective class books
prescribed by Section IS 0; the school
Law, to bs furnished to dealers and other
citizens Of this State at retail for the low
est wholesale price OF ssid books, made to
any other State, firm or person; that these
contracts expired on June 30, 1884; that
by Chapter G Of the Acts ot 1885, this
State Suoerintondent was directed to con-
tract With the several publishers OF the
respective c!ess books prescribed BY Law
upon the ssule terms Rnd conditions as
the fosmer contract Under the act OF 1879 !;
that B. L. Butcher, then State Superin.
sendent, entered into contracts with tho
several publishers Tor tho supply Of said
books for tho period Of five year1, on tho
same terms md conditions as provided by
the former contract They believe that
6ald Contracts are legal and valid, and that
In the matter OF the letting OF the same
the lew has bean fully aud faithfully COM
plind With. a'l5 T'g lilIl5
Your committee furthe, report that
they have inquired as to whether or not
"the prices paid for such books are ex-
cessiva or eShorbitcat." They believe
from tho best information they have been
able to obsain, that thu prices charged for
aaid bonks are lover in this State than in
most other States snd localities, and in no
case that they have found are the same
books or books OF similar quality furnished
at q lower price than that charged to tho
people OF this State. 8
Your committee therefore concludes
that the prices paid by our citizens for the
school books used in tho schools OF the
State are not excessive, but on the con.
trary arc aa low or lower than arc paid by
tho citizang Of other States for the aame
books, or books Of equal 1!andard and
quality. r = o5''- 'fsT -
And having fully reported, your COM
mittee askB to DO discharged. II
; Respectfully submitted. " ,!lI
J. J. WooDs, 11
JOHN D. SWEENEY,
JOSEPH T. HokE,
& "a 54lf r. P. CHEW, .iT
A. Fl. TuAYER,
After all this, Morris had the shameless
eflrontery to come in with minority re-
port, in which he said the committee had
not done its duty! ~